A recent poll released today provided the first comprehensive look at the political popularity of the excise tax on higher-cost health plans, and the results should raise grave political concerns for the tax’s supporters. The poll, which concentrated on battleground electoral states, showed that legislators who voted for the tax could face voters’ wrath in 2010. The pollsters found that the excise tax was extremely unpopular, while voters overall favored the idea of taxing high-income earners.

Pollsters John Anzalone and Matt Hogan presented their findings today on a conference call with reporters. ““We’ve never seen numbers like this,” said Anzalone.